


A Simple Touch

by KucatsHouse



Category: The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Domestic Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Happy Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, M/M, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood Fluff, Post-Book 6: City of Heavenly Fire, Post-Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy: Born to Endless Night
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2020-06-22 10:51:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19665967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KucatsHouse/pseuds/KucatsHouse
Summary: Alec contemplates the contentment of a simple touch.





	A Simple Touch

**Author's Note:**

> Characters and story concept the property of Cassandra Clare
> 
> Just a little indulgent fic, but I hope you enjoy it. :)

It was midday when Alec returned home from a night of patrolling and a morning of paperwork. He was tired, but looking forward to being with Magnus and Max. The thought of coming home to the pair of them was what got Alec through most days.

It had only been a couple of months since they brought the warlock baby found on the steps of Shadowhunter Academy back to New York with them, but it felt as if Max had always been a part of their family. The baby had become such an integral part of their lives that Alec sometimes forgot what it was like before Max came along. It was difficult not to love him; maybe it was because he was a baby, but Max just seemed to draw people to him.

The apartment was quiet when Alec entered. It was just after lunch, which meant Magnus would have put Max down for a nap before going to his study to do some quiet work. After closing the door and putting down his weapons, Alec began to make his way towards Max’s room. He was in need of food and rest, but all he wanted to do right now was see his little man. Alec was just about to cross to the hall when he noticed them, his love and his baby cuddled close together, asleep on the living room floor. 

Alec found himself arrested at the sight of them. Normally, Alec would have reached for his phone, snapped a few photos, and sent them to all his friends and family. But there was something about the scene that gave him pause. Alec stood where he was, taking in the sight with his eyes and committing it to memory. 

Max was lying on his back upon a knitted lavender colored blanket Catarina had given them. He was wearing a pale green onesie covered in dinosaurs, one small blue fist clutching the ear of a stuffed rabbit. He had his face turned towards Magnus and a pink pacifier in his mouth. Chairman Meow was curled up near Max’s head, purring quietly as he napped. Magnus had foregone his usual style of clothing for a simple faded gray shirt and jeans. His dark head was pillowed on one arm; his other hand, devoid of rings, was stretched out towards his baby.

On soundless feet, Alec padded over towards them. He sank down to the floor, crossing his long legs under him. One calloused hand reached out, plucking a blue curl from Max’s forehead and brushing it aside, fingertips glancing over a chubby cheek. The baby made a small noise at the touch, sucking on his pacifier and waving his fists for a moment before settling back down. Alec marveled at the way the sunlight danced over Max’s blue skin, throwing it into different hues: navy, royal, prussian, sapphire. 

A small frown tugged at Alec’s lips. He couldn’t tell if Max had grown again. It sometimes seemed as if Max was growing at an alarmingly fast rate for a baby his age. Alec had once remarked to Magnus about his concern for Max’s seemingly accelerated growth; Magnus had just shrugged and muttered something about warlocks maturing faster. Looking at him now, so small in sleep, Alec hoped he wouldn’t grow too fast for them. He wanted to enjoy Max’s baby years.

Blue eyes skated over in Magnus’ direction, softening at the sight of him. Alec loved watching his love sleep; it was a rare treat for him since Magnus usually slept later than he did. He was peaceful in sleep. There was a softness to his features that seemed to vanish with wakefulness, as if, even when smiling, Magnus was holding something of himself back from the world. Magnus always looked young and vulnerable in sleep. They appeared the same in age now, but Alec knew that would soon change. The idea of age separating them no longer frightened Alec but rather saddened him. Aging was the easy part; it was leaving Magnus behind, leaving his love alone in the world that wrenched at his heart.

Magnus’ dark hair was a spill of ink over his temple. It was soft like it only was after a shower, fluttering in the slight breeze that blew in from the open French doors. Alec’s fingers twitched as he reached over. The very tips of his fingers brushed the dark strands, their silky texture slipping over his skin. Unlike Max, Magnus’ only response to Alec’s touch was a quiet sigh.

Alec retreated his hand before shifting his position. Lying prone on the floor, he mirrored Magnus’ position with Max between them. Stretching, he allowed his fingers to brush Magnus’ hair again before slowly tracing down his lover’s face. Calloused fingers glided over arched cheekbones, grazing down a lightly stubbled jaw as Alec relished the scratchy feel. They danced down Magnus’ neck, lingering at the pulse point as it beat steadily. Alec’s fingers continued their journey over smooth, soft cotton to firm, lean muscle. Magnus appeared skinny and lean, but under all the glitter and flashy clothing he had always been bronze skin and taut muscle. There was little doubt in Alec’s mind that if there was a need to get physical in a fight, Magnus would be able to hold his own. His warlock, on more than one occasion, had hinted at decades of training with various talented individuals, names he dropped now and again. Magnus always said it was to satiate his years of curiosity, but Alec had wondered on more than one occasion if there was some other hidden reason.

His fingers continued moving, mapping sinewy coils of muscle and tendon. They didn’t stop until they reached Magnus’ outstretched hand. The movement of his hands, even in the most mundane of tasks, had always mesmerized Alec. Turning his own pale, scarred hand palm up, Alec slid his hand under Magnus’. He curled his fingers around Magnus’ long browned digits, marveling at the juxtaposition of their skin tones. Magnus’ nails had been freshly painted a shiny black; the light caught them, reflecting off the faint flecks of iridescent glitter embedded in their depths. As he slid his roughened finger pads along Magnus’ palm, Alec marveled as he often did at the smoothness of the warlock’s hands. It wasn’t baby soft like Max’s, but it also wasn’t calloused and tough like Alec’s. There was a suppleness to Magnus’ hands Alec couldn’t explain, an odd mixture of being accustomed to hard labor and luxury at the same time.

So absorbed in his thoughts was he that Alec’s body jerked in surprise when Magnus’ fingers closed suddenly over his. Blue eyes lifted to find gold-green staring back, accompanied by a teasing smile. Alec let his arm go lax as Magnus gripped his hand, pulling it towards his lips as he placed a kiss on Alec’s fingers.

“Hi,” Alec said quietly. 

“Hi,” Magnus replied, his voice just as quiet so as not to disturb Max, who continued to nap between them. “When did you get back?”

“A little while ago. I didn’t want to wake you.”

“I can see that.” Magnus released Alec’s hand to reach over and pluck a stray strand of dark hair from Alec’s eyes. His fingers smoothed back the unruly hair, grazing along Alec’s scalp and down his neck. Magnus smiled at the soft sigh of contentment that escaped his love’s lips. “You like that?”

Alec nodded, allowing his eyes to slip closed. He reached up, fingers closing loosely over Magnus’ wrist. “Just keep doing that, please.” Another sigh escaped him as gentle fingers began moving, brushing skin and hair with the barest of touches. He let his hand fall, resting on the edge of Max’s blanket as Alec relished the feel of Magnus’ hand in his hair. It was one of his favorite things, though he never admitted so aloud; Alec had spent many a night pretending to be asleep while Magnus absentmindedly combed fingers through his dark locks.

A tiny whimper sounded. It was soft, barely audible, but they both heard it like a thunderclap. Magnus’ hand froze at the same time Alec’s eyes snapped open. Max had begun to wiggle in agitated sleep, some dream upsetting him. Wordlessly, Alec reached forward and caressed Max’s cheek, running soothing circles on the smooth skin. In a moment, Max began to calm, turning towards Alec’s touch. 

“The power of a touch,” Magnus murmured. There was a hint of amusement in his voice.

“What’s that?” Although Alec turned his attention to Magnus, he didn’t release his contact with Max. The baby wasn’t the only one comforted by their connection.

Magnus shrugged. “Mundane psychologists believe there’s something to be said about the ability to touch. We can feel not only changes in texture, but also emotions in a simple skin-to-skin contact. It’s a language we all know how to speak from birth, one we never really forget.”

“That sounds like a fairy tale.” Alec’s skepticism must have been all over his face for Magnus grinned in a teasing manner.

“All the stories are true, Alexander.” His finger made a slow, languishing motion down Alec’s neck, tracing the deflect rune etched there with the barest of touches. “Whether it’s true or not, there’s no denying that your touch calms Max. It always has.” Magnus was remembering that time at the Academy, the first time Alec ever held Max and the warlock child had instantly calmed. What he had never said to Alec before was that Magnus understood all too well the effect the Shadowhunter had on Max; it was the very same calm that came over him when Alec was near. Whenever he felt agitated, a simple touch from Alec was all Magnus needed to return to a state of calm.

“I could say the same about you,” Alec said. He turned his head slightly to rub his cheek against Magnus’ wrist. 

“Romantic tease.”

“Am not.”

Magnus just shook his head before leaning forward, capturing Alec’s lips in a quick kiss. There were things that needed to be done but there was no hurry to do them. For the time being, the three of them lay there, barely moving, saying few words, simply content to be together and touching. 


End file.
